Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Brexit – Finally!

“My chances of being PM are about as good as the chances of finding Elvis on Mars, or my being reincarnated as an olive.”   Boris Johnson (age 40), The Independent, 2004.

And yet on July 24, 2019 Boris Johnson did become U.K. Prime Minister (at age 55), with his mandate assured in a nationwide election five months later.  Vedic astrology could have told us that Johnson would be greatly elevated in the public sphere within a few months before or after Sept. 9, 2016. This date marked the start of his 16-year Mercury Dasha (a planetary period) and a phenomenally successful period in his life.  On July 13, 2016 he was appointed Cabinet Minister – a major (and unexpected) step up for him.  He became even more elevated three years later as Prime Minister.  Johnson persuaded the public and his colleagues in Parliament that he could succeed in implementing Brexit when Prime Minister Theresa May had failed to do so after three years, and previously P.M. David Cameron (2010-2016) had tried to fight it off and keep the U.K. in the European Union.  But under Boris Johnson’s leadership, Brexit finally gets off the ground Jan. 31, 2020 at 11 pm, London, U.K. and divorce proceedings from the E.U. begin.

More hurdles remain for Johnson to work out a myriad of details, but the Conservative Party’s huge victory on Dec. 12, 2019 speaks volumes about how the force of Johnson’s personality and his ideas won over the British public.  Impatient for Brexit to be implemented, they had voted for it on June 23, 2016 by a decisive margin (52% to 48%) – a margin of 1.3 million votes.  But establishment figures in government, media and elsewhere were determined to keep the U.K. in the European Union, no matter how the citizens voted. David Cameron immediately resigned from office when Brexit was voted in.  Even his successor Theresa May had opposed it, along with 16 of her 25 Cabinet Ministers.

At a tumultuous time in the nation’s history, the public needed a forceful leader who would truly represent them and lead the way to Brexit.  Enter Boris Johnson, who had been Cameron’s most forceful political opponent leading up to the Brexit vote in June 2016.  After May’s resignation on June 7, 2019, Johnson was elected to be the new Prime Minister by an internal party vote, winning a 66% Tory majority. He took office July 24, 2019.  Formerly Mayor of London, 2008-2016, and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (2016-2018) under P. M. Theresa May, Johnson chafed under May’s handling of the Brexit process, saying she treated the U.K. as a “Vassal state” – as if groveling for permission to leave.

Johnson was first elected to Parliament in 2001 and re-elected in 2005.  He stepped down from Parliament in June 2008, a month after winning the London mayoral race.  Before becoming a politician, Johnson was briefly a management consultant before turning to journalism from 1985 onward. From 1994 to 2005 he worked for The Spectator magazine, first as a political columnist, later as its editor, 1999-2005.

Born Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, he spent his childhood between New York, London, and Brussels.  With both parents in the Foreign Service or academia, the family moved houses 32 times over the first 14 years of his life.  Two years later (1980) his parents divorced.  Winning scholarships throughout, he spent two years at the European School in Brussels, from age 10, after which his education was entirely in Great Britain.  He attended a boarding school (Ashdown House), then Eton College, then Baillol College at Oxford, where he read classics and was President of the Oxford Union.  His debating skills were regarded as extraordinary, both in originality and in comedic content. From Eton College onwards his teachers saw him as a prodigy and a fantastically capable person, though he was often disorganized and late with assignments.

For his part, as a scholarship student Boris struggled to find ways to fit in to this elitist world.  He could see it from both inside and outside.  Beyond this, he had suffered from severe deafness through childhood, corrected around age nine by several surgeries and grommets in the ears.  Deafness made him more quiet and studious, but by Eton College he was known as “Boris” and became more of the flamboyant and colorful personality for which he was both loved and loathed.   His political enemies acknowledge only his weaknesses and few of his strengths.

What can we see in Boris Johnson’s chart that shows he is innately able to handle the Prime Ministership at this critical point in time? And how does the timing to his chart help him to succeed where others have failed?

Brief review of how to read a North and South Indian chart.
Source: AstroDatabank. Class A data: From memory.  June 19, 1964, 14:00 EDT, New York, NY, USA.

The first thing to notice about Johnson’s birth chart is the Virgo Ascendant, giving both practicality (Virgo = EARTH), plus versatility and flexibility – with a dual sign in the Ascendant as well as four planets in dual signs: Sun, Venus, and Rahu in Gemini; Ketu in Sagittarius.  Rahu and Ketu are the foreigners, and aside from his exotic nature he has many foreign forbears. Born of British parents, his ancestry is also Turkish, Swiss, German, Irish, French, Belgian, Dutch, Cornish and Ashkenazi Jewish.  Given the strength of his Mercury and Mars, there is a readiness for battle and debate.  He is known to be even more combative in print, less so in person – a fact confirmed by the direct aspect of Mercury and Mars to the 3rd house of writing.  Among politicians also famous for their rhetoric are Sir Winston Churchill and U.S. President John F. Kennedy, both with Virgo Ascendants.  Coincidentally, Johnson’s most successful book to date is one commissioned by the Churchill family, The Churchill Factor: How One Man Made History (2014).

The next thing to notice are the strong positions of both Ascendant lord Mercury and its Raja yogakaraka planet Venus.  The exchange of the 9th and 10th house lords creates a powerful Dharma Karma Adhipati yoga. The 9th house is a Dharma house and the 10th house is a Karma house, and any close connection between these house lords (with few exceptions) is highly auspicious. This yoga confers the destiny of a strong leadership position in society.  It brings success, visibility, and fulfillment of life purpose.  Natal Mercury is in the 9th house in Taurus and also in mutual sign exchange (a Parivartana yoga) with Venus in Gemini in the 10th house of public status and career.  This is a commanding position for both planets, and since Mercury is Ascendant lord, it defines the strength of the individual on many levels when this planet is placed in the 9th house and also acting as if in the 10th house by virtue of its exchange with Venus. The gift of speech is given with a close and benefic conjoining of Venus and Mercury.  It can also give a high degree of literacy plus fluency in more than one language. Johnson is fluent in English, French, Italian, German and Spanish, and can recite at length in Latin and Greek.  This Mercury-Venus combination comes to full fruition when a major or minor Dasha period occurs featuring one or both planets. If it is both planets, then the Dharma Karma Adhipati yoga becomes fully manifested.

On Feb. 3, 2020, just three days after Brexit becomes official, Johnson enters his Mercury-Venus Dasha (Vimshottari system).  This runs for 2 years/10 months up to Dec. 4, 2022.  Such timing is highly favorable and gives prominence to both the Prime Minister and to the nation he represents. It is definitely auspicious for the huge task of Brexit, which was the major issue of the Dec. 12, 2019 election.  And though that is not Johnson’s only political goal, it is the first most important one for his party to achieve.  Mercury-Venus Dasha coming now shows that his mental and communication skills (Mercury) are very likely to be successful in achieving his goals due to both speaking and diplomatic skills (Mercury-Venus).

Coincidentally, on Jan. 24, 2020 tr. Saturn exited sidereal Sagittarius (his 4th house), another personal advantage, as tr. Saturn in the 4th house is typically a low point in the career cycle.  He has less opposition with tr. Saturn in the 5th house, and this adds to the astrological reasons why he did not ascend immediately to the Prime Ministership in July 2016 – even though he was both eligible and a more logical choice, having fought for Brexit, whereas Theresa May did not.  We will discuss more about this shortly in the upcoming section on the Mercury Dasha.

Genius with a Saturnalian streak

In his book The Lion and the Unicorn (1941), author George Orwell says that the British common people are not puritanical, by sharp contrast to the sanctimonious “Europeanized intelligentsia.”  If true, this may account in part for Boris Johnson’s immense popularity with the common people, though by education and intellect he is among the intelligentsia. The fact that he is not the typical communicator or politician is shown by Rahu in Gemini conjoining both Sun and Venus.  He has been called “quirky” and “flamboyant,” and we know that Rahu exaggerates the qualities of whatever planets it conjoins and adds some unpredictability and non-conformity.  Venus is also highly combust (19’ orb).  A combust planet within an orb of five degrees or less from the Sun is more seriously compromised, though less than one degree can make for an exceptional person, pushing that planet to blazing glory.  Venus rules over matters of love and the arts. Venus is also in the 5th house from natal Saturn.  And in 2004, during Saturn-Venus Dasha, Johnson’s first novel was published.  The same year an affair came to light that led to him being fired from his Shadow cabinet position.

Mercury is also combust the Sun, but its combustion is less consequential, as it is out-of-sign from the Sun and nine degrees away. As previously noted, Mercury also carries the energy of Mars, the warrior, since Mercury and Mars are conjoined in Taurus.  Further, Mercury is in Mars-owned Mrigashira nakshatra.  Mars energizes Mercury, the communicator.  Mercury-Mars brings wit, rapid speech, and at times cutting or provocative speech.   Johnson is known for his insults that somehow are forgiven or forgotten because of his overriding charm, wit, and satirical gifts.  From April 1998 onward his popularity spread with his frequent appearances on the British TV show Have I Got News For You.

Situated in his 2nd house of speech and financial income (Libra), his Moon is in Swati nakshatra, ruled by Vayu, God of the Wind. It guarantees an independent mind, and someone who tends to look well beyond established boundaries and is eager to spread his information far and wide.  Moon opposite Jupiter insures Johnson’s optimism and self-confidence, giving him also a Gaja-kesari yoga – a yoga of public success. (Natal Jupiter must be in an angular house from natal Moon, as in his birth chart).  The 11th lord (Moon here) in the 2nd house creates an excellent Dhana yoga of wealth.  This Moon brings him financial success through his speech, and indeed Boris Johnson has become a very wealthy man through his many endeavors, including from public speeches, television appearances and publishing.  Natal Jupiter’s aspect to his 4th house of real estate has also brought him an abundance of wealth in real estate.

The Moon is connected to both Rahu and Venus, since it is located in Swati nakshatra, ruled by Rahu, and in Libra, owned by Venus. Both Venus and Rahu in turn reside in the 10th house of status and visibility, reflecting back to the Moon, which confirms that Johnson’s speech will be a major career asset, though he will change his opinions and fluctuate, as does the Moon in the heavens. For this Johnson has been criticized as “an opportunist” and more.

With Jupiter’s direct aspect to the Moon, there will be a lot of speech.  His writing is another major factor, with Mercury featured in the 9th house of publishing. The 3rd house of writing (Scorpio) is aspected by both Mars (3rd and 8th house lord) and Mercury (1st and 10th house lord).  Johnson is prolific, having written a large number of articles as well as 22 books. The most popular to date is The Churchill Factor, as noted earlier.  It was published in Oct. 2014, close to a partial Solar eclipse on Oct. 23, 2014 at 6: 21 Libra, and within one degree of Johnson’s natal Moon at 7:14 Libra.  Tr. Saturn was exalted in Libra for the entire month of Oct. 2014, preparing to enter Scorpio on Nov. 3, 2014, the last third of his Sade Sati, giving increased responsibilities, especially financially.  Tr. Mercury was in Libra the entire month, preparing to turn Stationary Direct Oct. 25, 2014 at 22:45 Libra, exactly opposite Johnson’s natal Jupiter. Tr. Jupiter was exalted in Cancer in the 10th house from natal Moon.  Johnson was then in Saturn-Jupiter Dasha, with natal Jupiter in the 3rd house (of writing) from natal Saturn (Dasha Lagna), and Navamsha Jupiter in the 10th house from Navamsha Saturn.  Natal Saturn, the planet of discipline, gains strength by its proximity to its Stationary Retrograde degree (2’ orb) and its position in its own sign (Moolatrikona).

With his close Sun-Venus-Rahu combination in Gemini at the top of his chart, Johnson has often pushed the parameters too far, and at one point nearly lost his job as political columnist at The Spectator magazine.  Earlier in his career as a journalist he was fired from The Times for fabricating some quotes in a front page story.  He quickly went on to become Brussels correspondent of The Daily Telegraph.  Then in Nov. 2004, as Conservative MP, shadow secretary of the arts and Spectator magazine editor (already juggling too many roles), his years-long extramarital affair with Petronella Wyatt, a Spectator magazine columnist, became public, including one or two abortions (paid for by Johnson).  Married with four children, he denied the affair. Caught with the lie, he was offered the chance to resign from his post as shadow secretary.  Instead, he insisted that he be fired.  A later affair with arts consultant Helen MacIntyre led to the birth of a child in 2009.

What saved his reputation in the long run was his sheer brilliance, charisma, and comedic style, somehow escaping the usual parameters of conventional behavior.  Since Venus is an excellent planet for this chart (Raja Yogakaraka), it does more to attract positive attention, while deflecting scandal and negative attention.  Neither does the Dharma Karma Adhipati yoga let him escape easily from his leadership destiny. This may also account for his apparent immunity from scandals, as he continues to gain positions of high leadership.  His artistry is shown astrologically by Venus’s strong position in an angular house, and his charisma and brilliance by Venus almost exactly combust the Sun, within a 19’ orb.  Venus with Rahu also accounts for his unusual and unpredictable aesthetic. His first novel in 2004 was a political comedy called Seventy-Two Virgins – A Comedy of Errors.  It received mixed to positive reviews for its daring plot and characters.  And as previously noted, this occurred during Saturn-Venus Dasha.

Venus-Rahu also describes the changing partnerships through his marriage and his love life. Venus with Rahu does not conform to conventional norms in love life.  Johnson is known to have had various affairs throughout his married life.  He was married twice, the second time for 25 years to barrister Marina Wheeler, with whom he has four children.  They announced their separation Sept. 7, 2018 and their intention to divorce. This was due to Johnson’s ongoing philandering. But career ambition was a factor in the failure of both marriages.

Johnson had been quietly dating Conservative Party publicity director Carrie Symonds for about one year as of fall 2018.  So for the first time since the 1760s the U.K. Prime Minister resides at 10 Downing Street with an unmarried partner. At age 31, Symonds (b. March 17, 1988) is 24 years younger than Johnson.  Since Johnson’s divorce was not yet final at the time he became Prime Minister in July 2019, Symonds was not photographed with the new P.M. entering 10 Downing Street, though she is indeed living there and was standing nearby.  An advisor on his 2012 London Mayoral campaign and involved in politics since graduating from university at age 21, she may prove to be an astute political partner in addition to being his personal partner.

Beyond the unconventional path that Venus-Rahu often brings, natal Venus is also retrograde in the 10th house, making the unconventional approach to public and private life very public.  Adding to this picture, we note that Sun and Mars are in a Nadi yoga. Sun is in Mrigashira nakshatra ruled by Mars, and Mars is in Krittika nakshatra ruled by the Sun.  Without any aspect between these two fiery, masculine planets, there is a still a strong interconnection between them through the Nadi yoga, giving Johnson formidable physical and sexual vitality, and a close personal connection to his biological father (Sun) and his siblings (Mars).  He is the eldest of four siblings.  The Sun is already strong in the 10th house, achieving Digbala (best angular house position for the Sun) and an excellent position for a politician or someone in the public sphere with the ambition to seek a leadership position.  Prior to becoming a politician, Johnson was gaining attention with his many appearances on television as a journalist, and his striking and at times controversial way of expressing his opinions on political matters, as noted earlier. Often he has refused to retract or apologize for his less cautious statements, especially when he felt they were taken out of context.

“…Working with him so closely, I had observed that under a well-cultivated veneer of disorganization lay not so much a streak of aspiration as a torrent of almost frightening focus and drive…. The fact is that Boris stands out from the crowd like no other public figure of his generation.”  Sonia Parnell, Just Boris: The Irresistible Rise of a Political Celebrity, 2011, pp. 4-5.

Mercury Dasha – the golden years

Johnson’s 16-year Mercury Dasha began Sept. 9, 2016 (through Sept. 9, 2033).  Two months prior to that, on July 13, 2016 he was appointed Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs under Prime Minister Theresa May.  Though he was already a celebrity, and prominent in public life in previous years, it was not until Mercury Dasha, the major period of his Ascendant lord, that he rose to major prominence in political life, both nationally and internationally as a Cabinet Minister.  He resigned from that position July 9, 2018, along other members of May’s cabinet, unhappy with her lack of progress with Brexit.

In fact, many had expected he would become Prime Minister three years earlier after David Cameron resigned on June 24, 2016.  Johnson had campaigned strongly for Brexit, while many Tory MPs including Theresa May had campaigned to Remain.  Johnson’s key ally and prospective campaign manager Michael Gove made a last minute switch, deciding to run for P.M. himself, and leaving Johnson at the 11th hour without the expected support.  He then dropped out of the race for P.M. but was appointed to May’s Cabinet.  Though Mercury Dasha was only two months away, it was still technically the last two months of the 19-year Saturn Dasha: Saturn-Jupiter-Rahu period.  This is considered a treacherous passage, and similar to a very waning Moon. The last vestiges of the Saturn Dasha are still playing out, but signs of Mercury’s greatness are within sight.

Despite his jesting throughout the years, Johnson seriously wanted to be Prime Minister from a very young age, and as a child he said he wanted to be “world king.” But according to his lifetime Vimshottari Dasha sequence, Johnson’s lifelong ambition for public success would not be more fully rewarded until Mercury Dasha. In addition to being Ascendant lord well placed in the chart and in the Dharma Karma Adhipati yoga, Mercury is also Atmakaraka, planet at the highest degree of celestial longitude, and as such a very auspicious planet for one’s personal success.  Even a sub-period of Mercury would be significant.  Johnson was rescued from deafness with surgeries during his Rahu-Mercury period (Aug. 22, 1971 to March 11, 1974). Mercury rules over hearing and aspects the 3rd house of hearing.  His successive Dashas up to Mercury Dasha showed much promise, and his first leap into a major public arena was winning the race as London mayor in May 2008 (in Saturn-Moon period).  A second term four years later was considered a triumph.  The Mayoral position was first created in 2000.

Brief review of how to read a North and South Indian chart.                                                         Source:  The Washington Post, July 24, 2019.   July 24, 2019, 3:18 pm, London, U.K. Source notes:  Once elected by the public and/or by their party, the Prime Minister-elect goes to see the Royal Monarch. The exact moment when a person officially takes on the role of British Prime Minister is considered to be when they visit the Queen, who then instructs them to form a new government and they accept the appointment.  The new P.M. then goes to 10 Downing St. to deliver their first-ever public speech as Prime Minister.  With no date-stamped television footage, the closest thing to a confirmation of the exact moment is this photo of Boris Johnson with the Queen, with the clock behind her on the mantle. We know it is afternoon, and the clock appears to read 3:18.  This moment is clearly symbolic of Johnson taking on the mantle of the Prime Ministership, having been voted in the previous day by his party members and winning 66% of an internal party vote.  Theresa May met with the Queen separately, just before Johnson arrived, as is customary when a Prime Minister has resigned or been voted out of office.  [Special thanks to Vedic astrologer Steve Stuckey for tracking down this hour and minute, including an analysis of comparable antique clocks!]

Boris Johnson becomes Prime Minister

On July 24, 2019 Boris Johnson was the first Prime Minister to enter Downing Street to head a minority government on the basis of just an internal party vote.   But when he called a nationwide election Dec. 12, 2019 he won a huge victory, a definite mandate from the people that pushed away Labour Party’s criticism that he was an “illegitimate” Prime Minister, both morally and politically, and standing on only a razor-thin majority, since many members of his own party had opposed him.  This all changed Dec. 12, 2019 and the closer he got to his Mercury-Venus period, starting Feb. 3, 2020.  He also set the Brexit date at Jan. 31, 2020, 11 pm, whereas Theresa May had previously set it for Oct. 31, 2019. Johnson then determined a nationwide election was necessary for full party support.

Johnson’s official ascent to Prime Minister began on a Wednesday, Mercury’s planetary day – from sunrise Wednesday to sunrise Thursday, and a planet associated with the business of trade and communications.  Libra was rising from 1:11 pm to 4:00 pm local time, London, U.K.  The Ascendant was Scorpio from 4:01 pm to 6:37 pm local time.  Either Ascendant is favorable, placing the four planets in Cancer (Venus, Mercury, Sun, and Mars) either in the 10th house (Libra Ascendant) or in the 9th house (Scorpio Ascendant).  With 22:24 Libra Ascendant there are five planets in angular houses, and one planet (Rahu) in a trinal house – a very strong chart, thus a strong and action-oriented administration. This is especially true with Chara (cardinal) signs angular.

The Navamsha increases even further in strength, with eight out of nine planets in angular houses (again all Chara signs), this time with Jupiter and exalted Mars in the 10th house, exalted Saturn and Ketu in the 7th house, and both Moon and Venus Vargottama (repeating in the same sign: Moon in Aries, Venus in Cancer).  Both Navamsha Mars and Saturn are Digbala (best possible angular house). This indicates that in his time as Prime Minister, Johnson keeps improving and expanding his understanding of both his role and that of the U.K. – a hugely important indicator for a nation soon to be separated from the E.U. after 47 years.

The Libra Ascendant appears to be correct, and it is arresting how it reflects Boris Johnson’s birth chart, with Venus and Mercury once again prominent and closely intertwined.  Once again they are both combust the Sun, though in the birth chart Mercury is in the previous sign.  The July 24, 2019 chart repeats the theme of the Prime Minister’s speech being popularized and amplified; and being combust the Sun there could be some sacrifice to “the show” or “the drama.” Since both Venus and Mercury are in Cancer, an emotional water sign, the family, and the nation as family will be invoked often, and the arts (Venus) may play a significant role.

Repeating the Venus-Mercury themes from Johnson’s birth chart are the Venus-ruled Libra Ascendant and the Mercury-ruled planetary day, Wednesday.  Once again Sun and Mars are also closely intertwined, and this time both Sun and Mars are Digbala, in their strongest angular positions at the top of the sky. Mars is within two degrees of the 10th house cusp.  This gives excellent executive power, energy, and authority.

Mars is debilitated in Cancer, but achieves correction through its mutual exchange with the Moon (a Parivartana yoga).  Moon is in Mars-ruled Aries and Mars is in Moon-ruled Cancer.  In this Neecha Bhanga Raja yoga, Mars starts out with some disadvantage (working to complete Brexit after three years of delays, and a P.M. seen by his detractors as unfit for the role), but it gains in strength over time.  The Moon-Mars exchange gives constant feedback and exchange between the public and the executive power, as seen by these planets in the 7th and 10th houses.  Tr. Moon in Ashwini nakshatra is eager and impatient to get started.  Tr. Jupiter in Scorpio aspects all four planets in Cancer in the 10th house, which confers blessing and protection, coming from Jupiter as a classic benefic planet.  We will shortly consider its temporal role as 3rd and 6th lords.

Mercury is retrograde, probably reflecting the necessity for Johnson and his government to go back over some old ground that P.M. Theresa May had been treading for three years with Brexit.  As 9th house lord, Mercury is also somewhat weakened by losing the Graha Yuddha  (Planetary War) with Venus, since it is within one degree of Venus and loses the war due to Venus’s superior brightness in the heavens.  This is less disastrous for Mercury, since Venus and Mercury are great good planetary friends, and Venus is Ascendant lord.  Even so, it may be a warning that with a lot of words sure to be spoken and written by Prime Minister Johnson during his term in office (Jupiter in the 2nd house of speech aspects Mercury and all four planets in Cancer), he may have to backtrack on some promises or decisions that will be made with his typical energetic and executive forcefulness.  Much expansiveness of spirit is expressed by four planets in Jupiter-ruled Punarvasu nakshatra: Rahu, Venus, Mercury, and Sun.  Also, Jupiter’s strength is increased by being near its Stationary Direct degree (29’ orb) at 20:23 Scorpio.  Another echo of Jupiter comes from Johnson’s natal Jupiter at 22:23 Aries, which is closely opposite (1’ orb) the July 24, 2019 chart Ascendant at 22:24 Libra.

Though Jupiter is a classic benefic and bestows protection and abundance, in a Libra Ascendant chart Jupiter is also lord of the 6th house of conflict. Thus, there is bound to be some level of conflict in moving the U.K. out of the E.U.  It is probably fortunate that Saturn is strongly situated in the 3rd house on the Rahu-Ketu axis, and in fact almost exactly on the 3rd house cusp (24’ orb), emphasizing its impact.  In a mundane chart, this indicates that issues of transportation, communications, the legal system, and immigration will have serious overhauls during Boris Johnson’s term as Prime Minister.  Saturn gets things done, sometimes through an initial stage of pulling back or contraction.  Saturn rules over Objective Reality.

Brexit – from marriage to divorce

On Aug. 1, 1961 Britain first applied for membership in the EEC (European Economic Community – a predecessor to the European Union). This was 5 ½ months after the last Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in Capricorn (Feb. 18, 1961).  The next JU-SA conjunction in Capricorn is Dec. 21, 2020, ten days before the Brexit transition period ends, unless it is extended prior to June 30, 2020 – the deadline for extending the transition.  However, the proximity to the powerful JU-SA conjunction suggests the transition period will indeed end Dec. 31, 2020, nearly 60 years after the U.K. first applied for membership in 1961.

French President Charles DeGaulle (1958-1969) vetoed Britain’s initial application in 1961 as well as a second application in 1967; but after he left office it was finally attained on Jan. 1, 1973 with a third attempt.  However, controversy surfaced in Britain on a regular basis between national sovereignty and economic expedience.  This led to a national referendum in 1975 in which 67.2% of the voters affirmed their desire to remain in the Common Market, as it was then known.  Even so, the controversy never truly subsided, and tensions on this issue continued to grow. Despite promises of prosperity, security, and commercial advantage, one of the E.U.’s Founding Fathers, Jean Monnet, said this in 1952:

“Europe’s nations should be led towards a superstate, without their people understanding what is happening. This can be accomplished by successive steps, each disguised as having an economic purpose, but which will eventually and irreversibly lead to federation.”

What this prominent French Leftist meant was that the new socio-political-economic community would gradually but intentionally weaken its member nation-states. And in Post-World War II Europe, it is understandable that no one wanted any European nation-state to become too powerful and aggressive ever again, especially not Germany. In fact Germany and its history is the major reason given for opposing Nationalism, i.e. national sovereignty and the strength of individual nation-states and their citizens to determine their own destiny.  The new Globalism that flourished from the early 1960s was meant to counteract any possible recurrence of World War. But there were also underlying themes of One World Government nurtured by Globalists since early in the 20th century.

The first incarnation of the European Union was the European Coal and Steel Community, established July 1, 1952.  There were six member nations: Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.  Membership expanded from 1957 onward to reach 28 nations by 2016, when U.K. citizens voted to leave the E.U. – the famous Brexit vote.  The urge for the U.K. to join the E.U. came initially since the British Empire was shrinking and the U.K. was falling behind the rest of Europe economically, while E.U. nations were booming at the time. Noting the importance of the 59-60 year cycle (two Saturn returns, and half of the EARTH cycle’s core 120-year period), we see the cyclical importance of 2020 as a turning point.  Similarly, we note that in implementing Brexit, the anti-Globalist actions of the U.K. in protecting its nation-state were echoed in the U.S. with the election of Donald Trump in 2016.  Though both Trump and Johnson may seem like anomalies as politicians, they both have come to symbolize Nationalist leaders rising to power prior to a critical astrological juncture: the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction of Dec. 2020. The 60 years leading up to this conjunction have been dominated largely by the forces of Globalism – until 2016.

In April 2016 U.S. President Barack Obama went to London to lecture the British people on the necessity to vote against Brexit in their June 2016 referendum. He spoke of the perils that awaited them if they did vote for Brexit.  Meanwhile, U.S. Presidential candidate Donald Trump did not go to the U.K. to speak on Brexit, but from 2015 onward he announced his support for Nigel Farage and the Brexiteers.  At the time, Obama, the Globalist was much more of a popular figure in the U.K. than Trump, the Nationalist. But with the passing of Brexit in June 2016 and the election of Trump in Nov. 2016, there was a turning point in the battle between Nationalism and Globalism.  And we will soon see by Nov. and Dec. 2020 if the tide is turning more definitively to protect nation-states and their citizens from the rule of Globalists and unelected bureaucrats running Monnet’s planned “superstates.”

The continued success of Prime Minister Johnson in the U.K. and President Trump in the U.S. in 2020 and beyond has a lot to do with determining whether the nation-state survives the Globalists and Globalism.  The U.S. Presidential Inauguration chart is known well in advance, and indicates a very strong president in Jan. 2021. Johnson’s chart as Prime Minister (from July 24, 2019) also shows great promise, especially comparing the timing to his birth chart as he enters his Venus-Mercury period Feb. 3, 2020.  So closely coinciding with the official start of Brexit on Jan. 31st at 11 pm London time, this is highly auspicious for the success of Brexit.  Along with national charts, we see the importance of the charts of ceremonial events that usher in a new national leader, along with the birth charts of national leaders. The leader’s birth chart is also a reflection of the well-being of a nation for as long as that person is in office.  Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke on Jan. 31, 2020 to mark the moment of the official Brexit.  It was not carried on the BBC, which had lobbied for years for the Remain position, even well after the 2016 referendum for Brexit.  Here is an excerpt from the P.M’s speech:

“Tonight we are leaving the European Union. For many people this is an astonishing moment of hope, a moment they thought would never come. And there are many of course who feel a sense of anxiety and loss.  And then of course there is a third group – perhaps the biggest – who had started to worry that the whole political wrangle would never come to an end.  I understand all those feelings, and our job as the government – my job – is to bring this country together now and take us forward.  The most important thing to say tonight is that this is not an end but a beginning.  This is the moment when the dawn breaks and the curtain goes up on a new act in our great national drama. And yes it is partly about using these new powers – this recaptured sovereignty – to deliver the changes people voted for.”

*******

Selected References

From the author:

  • Identifying Revolutionary Trends, lecture by the author given May 25, 2018 at the United Astrology Conference (UAC 2018) in Chicago, IL. This mp4 (PowerPoint with audio & PDF handout) runs 1 hr. 15 min. Available at  https://edithhathaway.com/shop/
  • Jupiter-Saturn 2020: Fulcrum of a 120-year Cycle, lecture by the author given Oct. 27, 2019 at the Future of Astrology conference, Dallas, TX. This mp4 (PowerPoint with audio) runs 2 hrs. 35 min. and includes 27 min. of Q & A with lecture attendees. Now available at https://edithhathaway.com/shop/
  • Jupiter-Saturn 2020: The Tipping Point   (Dec. 21, 2019) [This article gives a broad overview of the larger Jupiter-Saturn cycles, including themes of Nationalism vs. Globalism.  The last section covers how and why two events in 2016 (U.K.’s Brexit vote and the U.S. Presidential election of Donald Trump) were harbingers of a major reversal in trends preceding the JU-SA conjunction of Dec. 2020.]

From other sources:

[This article also appears in the Feb. 2020 issue of AstroLogic magazine; the Feb. 24 and March 2, 2020 issues of the ISAR International E-zine; and the Spring Equinox issue of The CVA Journal, March 19, 2020. (ISAR = the International Society for Astrological Research; CVA = The Council of Vedic Astrology.)]

Copyright © 2020 by Edith Hathaway.  All rights reserved.